To have the network drive persist across WSL sessions, you can use the combination of the WSL configuration file and an /etc/fstab entry. Here's how to set it up:

1. **Ensure the Network Drive is Mapped in Windows**
Make sure that drive I: is mapped in Windows using your preferred method (via File Explorer, Credential Manager, or the `net use` command).

2. **Create a Mount Point in WSL**
Create a directory where the drive will be mounted:

   sudo mkdir -p /mnt/i

3. **Configure WSL to Use /etc/fstab**
Edit (or create) the WSL configuration file `/etc/wsl.conf` and add the following lines to enable fstab mounting:

   [automount]
   enabled = true
   mountFsTab = true

This tells WSL to look at your `/etc/fstab` file during startup for any mounts you’ve specified.

4. **Add the Mount Entry in /etc/fstab**
Open the `/etc/fstab` file (create it if it doesn’t exist) and add the following line:

   I: /mnt/i drvfs defaults 0 0

This entry tells WSL to mount the Windows drive I: at `/mnt/i` using the drvfs file system type.

5. **Restart WSL**
Exit all WSL instances and restart WSL (or simply restart your computer) to apply the changes. The drive should now be mounted automatically.

Your network drive will be persistently mounted in WSL every time you start a new session.